Daubentoniamadagascariensis (scientific name: Daubentoniamadagascariensis): It is named after its long fingers and toes (especially the middle finger). It has a body shape like a large rat, with a body length of 36-44 centimeters, a tail length of 50-60 centimeters, and a weight of 2 kilograms; it has coarse and long body hair, dark brown to black in color; its tail is longer than its body, with fluffy tail hair resembling a broom, with a hair length of up to 10 centimeters, black or gray in color; it has a slender body; a large head with a blunt snout; large, membranous ears; except for the flattened nails on the thumbs and big toes, the other fingers and toes have sharp claws; its dental structure resembles that of a rat, with only 20 teeth; its limbs are short, with legs longer than arms.
Inhabiting large branches or tree trunks in tropical rainforests, it builds spherical nests in tree hollows or branches. It lives alone or in pairs and is active at night. It enjoys eating insects. When feeding, it often taps the tree bark with its middle finger to determine if there are any hollow spaces, then it listens carefully with its ears. If it hears insect sounds, it uses its incisors to gnaw a small hole in the tree bark, and then uses its middle finger to scoop out the insect. Due to its eerie cries, resembling a crying sound, locals believe that the Daubentoniamadagascariensis brings bad luck, so they kill it as soon as they see it. Combined with habitat destruction, the Daubentoniamadagascariensis has become extremely rare, and was once thought to be extinct. It is distributed in the coastal forests of eastern Madagascar.
Daubentoniamadagascariensis was previously distributed in the eastern and northwest parts of Madagascar. When the French explorer first saw the Daubentoniamadagascariensis in 1780, he thought it was a kind of squirrel. It was not until 1860, after being anatomically verified by taxonomists, that it was known to be a primate animal. Daubentoniamadagascariensis is a local primate species that lives on the east coast of Madagascar in southeastern Africa.
It is distributed in the coastal forests of eastern Madagascar and the dry forests of the northwest and west of the island. Introduced populations have been found on the islands of Managabe and Lemur Island, which are located above the northern Mananara. However, the population density of this species is very low in various locations.
It is not recommended to keep them as pets. All monkeys are protected animals, with the lowest level being level two. The Animal Protection Law does not allow individuals to keep monkeys at home. Monkeys are mischievous and difficult to tame without experience.
1. Gastroenteritis
Gastroenteritis is a severe acute inflammation of the gastric and intestinal mucosa and its deep tissues.
2. Bacterial dysentery
Bacterial dysentery is characterized by sudden onset and rapid spread. It is a common disease among monkeys in monkey farms, especially in newly introduced monkeys. When they are thirsty during the journey, they overeat and drink excessively, causing indigestion and diarrhea. If not treated in time, it can quickly turn into dysentery. The main symptoms are listlessness, decreased appetite, or even complete loss of appetite. Severe cases can lead to dehydration, sunken eye sockets, emaciation, decreased body temperature, cold hands and feet, drooping head, and curled up body. If the symptoms persist for 1-2 days, death may occur.
3. Pneumonia
Due to weather changes, adult monkeys or young monkeys with weak physique are prone to colds. If not treated in time, it can quickly develop into pneumonia and lead to death. Therefore, when a sick monkey is found, it should be immediately given cold medicine. Severe cases may require injections. Commonly used medicines include chaihu injection and bingduqing injection, with the same dosage as humans. For newly introduced monkeys or sudden weather changes, it is best to provide them with herbal drinks such as sesame, bitter gourd tea, dahing, guyang teng, pineapple leaves, and tree leaves boiled in water for free consumption. This can prevent colds, save medical expenses, and have a good preventive effect.
Pneumonia is one of the most common acute infectious diseases among monkeys in monkey farms. There are many types of pathogens, mainly caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae infection through the respiratory tract. If a sick monkey is discovered and isolated for treatment in a timely manner, it can be relatively easy to cure.
The Daubentoniamadagascariensis relies on its mother's milk for survival until it is 7 months old, so it doesn't have to worry about finding food. However, once they reach 2 years old, they leave their mothers and start living on their own, which means they have to figure out how to find suitable food. Typically, after weaning, the young monkeys learn hunting techniques from their mothers, such as using their long fingers to quickly obtain food.
In their natural habitat, the Daubentoniamadagascariensis feeds on insect larvae. They carefully search for them, just like woodpeckers, and then use their mouths and fingers to dig them out and consume them. In addition to insect larvae, they also enjoy bird eggs. Since they live in trees, finding bird eggs is not a challenge for them.
The rainforests of Madagascar provide the Daubentoniamadagascariensis with a variety of other food sources, such as various fruits. When they encounter fresh fruits, they eat them without hesitation. They also have a taste for nuts, which they can easily crack open with their strong teeth, even if the shell is as hard as a coconut. With such a diverse diet, the Daubentoniamadagascariensis rarely has to worry about going hungry.
Typically, the Daubentoniamadagascariensis forages alone, but there are times when several monkeys will forage together. In zoos, they are provided with abundant and nutritious food, which allows them to live for more than 20 years.
The Daubentoniamadagascariensis combs its hair not to find lice, but because the food it eats lacks electrolytes. Its hair produces crystallized salts, and it combs each other's hair to find salt grains to eat (this is also their feeding habit) and it can enhance the emotional bond within the group.
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